


Day Two || SasuHina Renaissance Week || Worlds

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: SasuHina Renaissance Week 2018 [2]
Category: Naruto, Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Gen, Illnesses, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-09-23 00:00:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17069690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: With their travels leaving Sasuke tense and worried over his brother's health, Hinata does her best to console him, offering a glimpse into her own past and the hardships she's faced.





	Day Two || SasuHina Renaissance Week || Worlds

The road, over the past few days, has been relatively…quiet.

Maybe that’s why he feels so restless.

The soft serenade of crickets echo under the stars, the el’ven’s long ears twitching every so often as one hits a sour note. He sits upon a downed log, elbows braced atop his knees and resting his mouth against folded hands. Crimson eyes scan the valley below them for signs of trouble, but so far…nothing.

It leaves him with his thoughts.

It’s been just over two fortnights since their journey began. Since meeting the disciple of Auquiana that made this bargain: help for his brother, if he’ll take her from her father and let her train her talents, see the world…

It seems almost too good to be true.

They’re heading, slowly, toward the old Luxerian capital. The place has been empty for over two centuries now. Not much time for their kinds, but still an ache after the Rift. The castle and its city have lain abandoned, Luxeria’s students and children alike fleeing after the uprising. They, like all the other el’ven, went into hiding.

But there’s a stir in the air. For the first time since anyone can remember, a lux mage has been found, alive and well…and now, she travels with them. The one hope he has of keeping Itachi alive. The only hope of restoring balance, of possibly bringing an end to the exile of the elves once and for all.

Sasuke sighs, head bowing to instead hold his brow in woven fingers. She’s just one woman. Can they really take this risk? If she dies…so too does any hope of her saving his brother. That weight - given her intentions to regather the Summit of Elements - is one he can barely hold.

He nearly takes to pacing before an ear swivels. The light, hesitant footsteps he already knows are the aqua mage’s. Not bothering to turn, he feels her sit beside him, leaving plenty of space between them.

“If you think any louder, we won’t be able to sleep.”

Sasuke’s ears flatten in annoyance. “…can’t help it. There’s a lot on my mind.”

Hinata gives him a sympathetic smile, brows wilted. “…I know. We’re all on edge, and -”

“I finally find a healer - a  _real_  one - and she decides to start some hare-brained escapade. I thought the plan was for her and Itachi to stay home, where it’s  _safe_.”

“…nothing’s going to happen. The flora mage agreed to go find her warrior friend. They’ll meet us at the capital. We’ll be fine once we get there.”

“I don’t think she realizes how much someone would pay for her head. We all thought lux mages extinct, Hinata! If she goes parading around, it’ll only attract trouble! I need her alive until she can restore Itachi’s health. After that, she can do whatever she wants.”

Surprise widens Hinata’s eyes…and then her brow furrows. “…how cruel. Don’t you see you’re being j-just like the ones you’re afraid of running into? Using her, not caring if she lives or dies once you get what you want?! We grew up together - I don’t want to see her hurt. I told you about her because I trusted you - because I could see how much you c-care about your brother! But if you’re going to just…just  _use_  her, then -!”

“You’ll not part us until she’s done what she promised to do,” Sasuke growls in reply.

“And your end was to train me. You’ve not done a lick of that so far!”

“We’re on the road! Hardly a safe place on the best of days, let alone to just prance around practicing ven! Have you forgotten how much the el’kor hate us? Exposing ourselves in a place we can’t protect is a fool’s errand. I’ll train you  _after_  we get where we’re going. And  _after_  I know she’s not going to leave my brother to die.”

“She follows Luxeria’s teachings perfectly - you don’t have to worry about her skipping out on you. To bear light’s magic is to vow to protect all living things. She’s agreed to save your brother, and she won’t rest until she does so. But we have to make it b-back to the capital first.”

“…then we’re at an impasse,” he mutters. “She won’t heal him, and I won’t train you, until we find the old city and have a place to hide. Those plans of hers are foolish, is what I’m saying. What she wants isn’t easy, and is damnably dangerous. The moment the world knows she lives, it’ll be breathing down her neck.”

“What would you do in her shoes?”

“Keep my head down.”

“She can’t do that. The world’s been out of balance for too long, and -!”

“The world isn’t my problem!” Sasuke’s tone jumps in volume. Breath rushed, he pauses a moment before adding, “…all that matters to me now…is my brother’s life. Call that selfish if you want. But some of us don’t have grandiose ideas about changing the world and all its flaws. The el’ven oppression is older than any of us. It’s hardly about to change with the Elementals gone. They abandoned us.”

For a while, Hinata remains silent. “…not completely. Have you heard of those who are Embraced?”

“Tch, a farce.”

“It’s true! I’ve seen it!”

“You’ve seen it?” His tone is mocking, clearly not believing her.

“…Auquiana Embraced my mother when I was very young. We were trying to move in the dark of night, to avoid being followed by el’kor. But instead, we were ambushed by terra mages who didn’t want to share the land. There were so many…but my mother took the lead. Told my father to take my sister and I, and run. He tried to refuse, tried to fight…but it was her Auquiana chose to face them. There was…this powerful aura. Her eyes were aglow with sapphire light. She summoned more water than I’d ever seen - caught them in a vortex. Most of them drowned…but a few lived, and pulled her into the earth. For a while they struggled, soil and stone against water. She turned it to mud, had it slip through their fingers…but in the end, they overwhelmed her. It was then Father ran…I saw her hand reaching from beneath the surface…”

Not realizing his wide-eyed stare, Sasuke jolts as Hinata trembles, arms encircling herself. “…I…” What can he say? That he’s sorry?

“…it was a long time ago. I…don’t think of it often. But I know what I saw. And I know…we have to stop the fighting between us. And against those without ven. There was peace once. We just…have to f-find it again. So no one else has to lose a mother…” Her eyes lift to his face. “…or a brother.”

…Sasuke has no retort after that. Instead, he returns to staring out over the landscape.

“…Itachi will be fine. We’ll make it to the capital. The others will help us. You…said your clan was a mighty one? Before the city fell? Maybe…maybe you and your brother can help unite and represent those under Ignitrios’ banner.”

“…maybe.”

“…I know I want to try and find those of Auquiana. My father is content to hide, but…I can’t. I have to try. I’m sure we’ll find a way to make things better. And we can’t do it without Luxeria and their followers…if there are any more beyond the one with us.”

He doesn’t reply.

Watching him for a time, Hinata eventually offers, “…you should rest. I’ll take watch now.”

“I can’t sleep.”

“…well, even if you just lie down a while, you’ll feel better. Please?”

Sasuke heaves a sigh. No point in refusing her if she’ll just pester him otherwise. “…fine.”

“We’ll head out again in the morning, if everyone feels up to it.”

Standing, he gives a nod…and then lingers, unsure about his next move.

“…something the matter?”

A pause, and then, “I’m…sorry. For what I said about your friend. I didn’t mean it, I’m just…aggravated.”

After a surprised blink, Hinata softns into a smile. “…I understand. But…it’s not me you need to apologize to. Maybe…ease up on her a bit? She’s trying her best.”

“…I’ll do that. Goodnight.”

“…goodnight.”

**Author's Note:**

> Day two of SHRW - this time with the theme worlds, which I interpreted as a crossover into another world. And I went with my original fantasy verse this time around!
> 
> With Itachi ill, Sasuke strikes a deal with a water mage (Hinata) who knows a rare light mage, able to bring real healing rather than folk medicine. She agrees to introduce them if Sasuke promises to train her in ven (magic), something her father has forbidden. So, the four strike out on a journey to the old capital of light to not only heal Itachi, but attempt to bring balance back to a world torn by war and hate between humans with and without ven.
> 
> Sasuke, however, isn't happy about the latter part of the plan...and gets a little fed up with the light mage's ambitions rather than just sitting tight and healing Itachi to begin with. But things will turn out all right in the end. He just needs some patience! Which Hinata attempts to teach him.
> 
> Anyway, that's about it for this one - thanks for reading!


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